


Secrets

by Survivor_at_Midnight



Category: Ender's Game - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 23:32:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16106081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Survivor_at_Midnight/pseuds/Survivor_at_Midnight
Summary: Command School hidden scene. Elysia Falman dreams of nothing more than to be a part of Ender's world.





	Secrets

I watched in awe, mouth slack and slightly agape, as Ender instructed his team to victory yet again against radically improbable odds. It was amazing; though everyone here were still well below their twenties, the commanders in front of me were just so efficient, so harmonized, and so keen, they made it almost seem as if it  _were_  child's play!

Elysia Falman, a recent trainee of Command School, guardedly looked out from behind another dark looming practice station at the new up-and-coming shining-star team that had  _everyone_  talking.

Ender, rumored genius extraordinaire, had come but a few weeks prior, yet had easily made a name for himself. That day after he had proven that he was worthy of notice by beating the veteran players at their own game had left a mark on everyone, both positive and negative.

But Elysia paid no mind to any of the trash talk from jealous soldiers; rather she often times watched Ender command his team and wished she was one of them. To be recognized as one of the prodigies, to have the chance to save the world, to be just a little closer to Ender… sadly, in this world, dreams rarely came true.

"What are you doing back here, 'Liz?"

I gasped and spun around, nearly hitting my only friend in the face with my long hair. Right behind me stood Larissa Lusardi, my blonde teammate and right hand, smirking as if my flustered expression was the  _funniest thing ever_. I gave her a dull look once my initial shock had passed. She ignored it and pressed for her answer.

"Well?"

I sighed and shook my head, turning back to Ender, who was now re-watching his win and going over statistics and strategies with Rackham. If I listened hard enough, I could  _just_  make out the softly murmured words between the two. Something about how the buggers acted as one? They were-

"Ohh, this is about  _Ender_ , isn't it?" quipped Larissa's impish voice, right next to my ear. She had sidled up besides me to look at what had caught my attention, with me none the wiser.

"Shh, 'Rissa! I'm trying to hear!" I hissed back at her. Looking slightly put off, my somewhat unwanted companion backed away and sulked behind me. I returned to eavesdropping on Ender and Rackham - not that I got much of a chance to. Larissa started up again almost as quickly as she stopped.

"Well I was just wondering where you were. I haven't seen you since breakfast, and even then it was only for five minuets before you disappeared!" she griped. Then her voice dropped down to a hushed whisper, as though she were letting me be privy to the secrets of the universe and didn't want anyone else to hear. "Were you here all this time?" I inattentively shrugged and nodded, acknowledging that I had been watching them for at least a few hours now. She sighed. "You are  _seriously_  obsessive over him. Why don't you just-"

I huffed the slightest bit and turned away from Rackham and Ender. It was clear that I wasn't going to be getting anymore peace to observe the team to beat with my best friend around.

"Sorry, Larissa. Really, I am. How about we go back and have some fun before evening drills?" If there's one thing to know about Larissa, it's that she gets distracted by the concept of fun – anything that doesn't involve buggers, in her case. In a place where life becomes one fight after another, I could see how she had turned out to be like that.

We slipped out from behind the practice station and made our way to the virtual Olympic Games station. The entire point was to build the best team and instruct them to run the best collective time. Sometimes, though, it became difficult because the statistics and circumstances were constantly altering. The two of us suited up and began the game, opting to skip straight to the competitor's selection screen.

"Hey 'Liz!" Larissa called.

"What?"

"How 'bout a little bet? Best two out of three?"

I grinned. "You're on!"

And just like that, we were off.

* * *

Elysia took off her helmet, a sigh escaping her lips. Larissa was still in the game training, the former having beaten the latter soundly all three rounds that the two had played. Shaking her head, Elysia exited the training room with every intention of going back to her dorm for some rest. That is, until Ender walked down the hall towards her.

"Astounding job earlier, Ender." she commented just before they passed each other. A small hitch in her voice gave away her anxiety, but Ender didn't even seem to notice - or if he did, he was kind enough to disregard it. In fact, he barely acknowledged her, aside from a barely perceptible nod as he continued to walk a few paces and stare at the floor in front of him, immersed in thought.

"You led your team really well." she ventured again. Not even a nod this time, only a furrowed brow and a clenched jaw. Elysia sighed again in her mind, and turned to leave when Ender's voice cut through the tense silence in the hall.

"Aren't you tired of felling used? I know I am."

Elysia turned around again to look at the newest legend of her time, only to see him staring straight back at her levelly, unblinking, waiting for her answer.

"I-"

He turned to fully face her, rapt attention focused solely on her. He was anticipating what she would say, that much was clear, but what he truly thought was a mystery to her.

"I don't think of training like that," she began hesitantly, her voice just above a whisper. "I see it as a way for me to pay back everyone who had done something for me in my life. For being there for me, for supporting me, for pushing me to be the best I could be. By doing  _this,"_  she gestured around her to the Command School hall, "I can fight to protect those who are precious to me." Ender looked back at the floor, chewing on his bottom lip, thoughtful once again.

"Those who are precious to you…" he murmured. He looked back up to her, a new sense of resignation in his eyes. Something must have struck, then. His eyes met hers once again with a new sense of determination and purpose.

"Thank you."

Ender turned and continued walking down the hall, with Elysia staring after him. Her pulse came quick and hard, her breathing shallow.  _'Thank you'_. Those words…he was sincere. He  _meant_  his thanks; it wasn't just a compensation for her time, or a dismissing remark. It was as if he had taken those words truly to heart. He had actually  _listened_  to her and  _heard_  her words.

A radiant smile on her face and etched on her heart, Elysia turned and continued to her room, a moment of her life forever filed away for her to remember.


End file.
